3-21-24
A PERSON WAS KILLED TUESDAY NIGHT IN AN OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING, THIRTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD RUSSELL FRANCIS JUNIOR. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
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SAINT LANDRY PARISH PRESIDENT JESSIE BELLARD ANNOUNCED IMPROVEMENTS ARE READY TO BEGIN AT THE PARISH AIRPORT, THANKS TO FUNDING THAT WAS DRAFTED BY CONGRESSMAN CLAY HIGGINS. BELLARD SAYS RENOVATIONS WILL BE MADE TO THE RUNWAYS AND THE FENCING AND TREES WILL BE BROUGHT DOWN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. HE SAYS THEY’LL BE REDOING ANYTHING DEALING WITH SAFETY. BELLARD SAYS BUSINESS IS IMPROVING WITH FUEL SALES MORE THAN DOUBLING AND THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL HELP ENSURE BUSINESS CONTINUES TO BOOM.
THE OWNER OF THE CAPITAL ONE TOWER IN LAKE CHARLES IS TAKING BIDS FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT WILL COME DOWN. BOBBY SCHLOEGEL, A VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE HERTZ INVESTMENT GROUP, SAYS HE WOULDN’T BET ON THE DEMOLITION OF THE TOWER, WHICH HAS SAT VACANT SINCE TWENTY-TWENTY. HE TELLS KPLC TV THAT THERE IS NOT A SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE WANTING TO BUY THE TOWER BUT NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SECURE THE FUNDING. SCHLOEGEL SAYS, IF THEY DO DECIDE TO DEMOLISH THE BUILDING, IT WILL BE A SIX-MONTH PROCESS.
A PACKAGE OF BILLS WERE INTRODUCED IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT ALLOWS INSURANCE COMPANIES TO DROP POLICY HOLDERS, RAISE RATES MORE EASILY AND HAVE MORE TIME TO PAY CLAIMS AFTER A STORM. THE LEGISLATION STRIKES A BALANCE BETWEEN THE INSURERS AND TRIAL ATTORNEYS, ACCORDING TO THE ADVOCATE. GOVERNER JEFF LANDRY SIDED WITH THE ATTORNEYS IN SUPPORTING A BILL THAT WOULD LENGTHEN THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR FILING PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE SUITS. INSURANCE COMMISSIONER TIM TEMPLE SAYS HE’S CONFIDENT THE BILLS WILL MAKE IT EASIER ON INSURANCE COMPANIES, DRAWING THEM BACK INTO THE MARKET.
THE STATE HOUSE IS CONSIDERING A BILL THAT WOULD RESTRICT TRANSGENDER PERSONS TO USING BATHROOMS OF THEIR BIOLOGICAL SEX. THE BILL, IF PASSED, WOULD REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO DESIGNATE BATHROOMS FOR A SINGLE SEX AND PROHIBIT MEMBERS OF ANOTHER SEX FROM USING THEM. IT WOULD ALSO APPLY TO BATHROOMS AND SLEEPING QUARTERS FOR STATE PRISONS, JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CENTERS. THE BILL BY REPULICAN REPRESENTATIVE ROGER WILDER HAS SIXTY-TWO CO-SPONSORS AND THE BACKING OF GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY.
LAFAYETTE POLICE CHIEF JUDITH ESTORGE TOLD THE CITY COUNCIL SHE WANTS TO CREATE TWO GUN FREE ZONES BECAUSE OF A CONCEAL CARRY GUN LAW THAT GOES INTO EFFECT JULY FOURTH. SHE SAYS THEY WILL REQUEST BAR OWNERS PUT UP SIGNS NOTIFYING PATRONS THAT THEIR ESTABLISHMENTS ARE GUN FREE ZONES. SHE ALSO ASKED THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER PORTIONS OF DOWNTOWN AND SIMCOE AS RESTRICTED ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS, WHICH WOULD MAKE THEM GUN FREE ZONES. SHE SAYS THEY WOULD BE GUN FREE ZONES BETWEEN TEN P-M AND THREE A-M ON THURSDAYS THROUGH SATURDAYS DOWNTOWN AND FRIDAY TO SUNDAY ON SIMCOE.
A NEW IBERIA MAN WAS SENTENCED LAST WEEK FOR THE SECOND-DEGREE MURDER OF A TWENTY-TWO-MONTH-OLD BOY IN JULY OF TWENTY-TWENTY-TWO. JUDGE MICHELE BILLEAUD SENTENCED CHRISTOPHER LEDET JUNIOR TO SERVE THE REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE AT HARD LABOR. LEDET WAS BABYSITTING HIS GIRLFRIEND’S SON, QUINTAYA FREEMAN, ON THE DAY HE DIED. DESPITE THE BOY SUFFERING SEVERAL SEVERE INJURIES, LEDET FAILED TO REPORT THE INJURIES OR SEEK MEDICAL CARE.
A DISPUTE BETWEEN THE LAFAYETTE AND SAINT MARTIN PARISH GOVERNMENTS MAY BE OVER. LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH ATTORNEY PATRICK OTTINGER FILED A MOTION TO DISMISS THE APPEAL CURRENTLY PENDING IN THE FIFTH U-S CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS AND THE MOTION WAS UNOPPOSED. HE SAYS THE DIMISSAL WILL ENABLE THEM TO WORK WITH SAINT MARTIN PARISH REPRESENTATIVES AND THE U-S ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO REACH A RESOLUTION. A LAWSUIT AROSE FROM THE REMOVAL OF A SPOIL BANK ON THE VERMILLION RIVER BY THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT ON LAND IN AND ADJACENT TO SAINT MARTIN PARISH.
